L.A. Master Chorale Performs with Cortines HighSchool Students February 16, 2012

80 STUDENTS FROM DOWNTOWN LA’S CORTINES HIGH SCHOOL COMPOSE
AND PREMIERE MAJOR NEW CHORAL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE CHAMBER SINGERS

Thursday, February 16, 2012, 7 PM, at High School's Main Theatre
Performance, Open to Public, is Free

Some 80 high school students from downtown Los Angeles’ Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts have collaborated to write original music and lyrics for a major oratorio, “The Legend of Kaguya” in just 18 short weeks – a feat even a seasoned professional composer would be hard pressed to accomplish. Not only have these gifted students composed the work, but their prodigious vocal talents will also be on display when they present the world premiere of the oratorio in conjunction with the acclaimed LA Master Chorale Chamber Singers in a free concert on Thursday, February 16, 7 pm, in the school’s main theatre.

An oratorio is an extended musical composition with a text dramatic in character for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, and performed without action, costume or scenery. They are big, sophisticated, complex musical works - not for the faint of heart to compose or perform.

The introduction of an oratorio into the choral repertoire is considerable news. But even bigger news is that the genre will be expanding thanks to these industrious students, who have collaborated on writing “The Legend of Kaguya” based on a 10th Century Japanese folk tale “The Bamboo Cutter” about the life of a mysterious girl discovered inside a glowing bamboo plant.

This massive undertaking is an extension of the Los Angeles Master Chorale's award-winning music education program, Voices Within, which was originally designed to teach fifth graders how to compose and perform their own original songs and has engaged over 25,000 children and created over 300 original songs since its launch in 2001.

Encouraged by a successful 2009 collaboration involving elementary, middle and high school students, and with the support of the California Arts Council's Artists-in-School Program and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the Los Angeles Master Chorale adapted the Voices Within curriculum to address the advanced maturity of high school students, specifically choral students at the new visual and performing arts high school in downtown LA.

Beginning last fall and continuing for 18 weeks, the LAMC artistic team of Marnie Mosiman (performer/artistic director), David O and Christy Crowl (composers), and Corey Madden (writer/lyricist) worked intensively with 80 students from the 9th through the 12th grades to guide them in creating an oratorio. The result is “The Legend of Kaguya.” This is the second year LAMC has offered its Voices Within program at the school.

The concert is free, and seating is first come, first served. Cortines High School for Visual and Performing Arts is located at 450 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Campus parking is free (enter on Cesar Chavez Avenue).

WHAT:
The Legend of Kaguya - World Premiere

DATE:
Thursday, February 16, 2012

TIME:
7:00 p.m.

PLACE:
Main Theatre
Cortines High School for Visual and Performing Arts
450 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

PARKING:
Parking on campus is free; the parking structure is accessible via the school's Cesar Chavez Avenue entrance.

COST:
free

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ORATORIO SYNOPSIS:
The Legend of Kaguya is based on a 10th century Japanese tale. The story, as created by the Cortines students, begins when a humble bamboo cutter, discovers a tiny supernatural girl in a leaf of bamboo. The bamboo cutter names the girl Kaguya. He also finds chunks of gold among the bamboo and, over time, his greed destroys the forest. Meanwhile, Kaguya, (pronounced Kah-GOO-yah), becomes an extraordinary beauty, pursued by many suitors, even the Emperor. In the end, all must deal with the consequences of destroying the bamboo forest. As Kaguya returns home to the moon, she leaves behind a broken­hearted Emperor who sacrifices his own immortality to restore the earth.